Territories
Photo Creds to Paleclaw : is a Warriors roleplay that uses a unique setting instead of territories seen in the canon series. On this particular site, we use Portland, Oregon as our source of inspiration and basic setting. : This page, in particular, is to give our users a basic understanding of what the roleplay will include on the topics on the environment, weather, dangers, and anything else that needs explaining. While this page is readily available, we at still encourage users to research further and become just that little bit more familiar with our setting. General information : The territories of the Clans include many different types of environments, from the base of a mountain range to marshland, and open fields. The majority of the area is nestled within a Valley, with WinterClan's mountain and timberline being the highest point and with SplashClan and SummerClan's territories being amongst the lowest, being at sea level. : The Clans are faced with a temperate oceanic climate with cool and cloudy leafbares, and mild and dry greenleaves. The winters are known to be particularly harsh many years, making it hard to find sources of prey and or cover the closer to the mountain. However, newleaf and greenleaf are seen as a blessing from StarClan often due to the new growth they bring. Prey is much more abundant, but, so are dangers such as twolegs and larger animals like cougars and black bears. : Other important notes about the territories: * As a form of measurement, it would take a single cat nearly a week of non-stop travel to reach WinterClan's territory from the most northern reaches of SummerClan. This trip isn't done often, nor is it advised due to the length added when considering stopping to rest and hunt. * The further south one reaches, the higher above sea level it becomes. The terrain also becomes harder to navigate, and most of the Clan cats agree that their territories end where the tree line cuts away from the mountain's base. This is most true for WinterClan. * Around the main territories of the Clans, there are many vacant and free areas that are open for loners and rogues to claim. Many do and create their own establishments over generations, and fight viciously to maintain their territories. * The territories are large enough that it is rare for the Clans to encounter black bears, cougars, and any other larger threats on a common basis. Many of these threats tend to stay away due to the sheer size of the Clan's populations, however, during leafbare hunger drives these predators closer for easy meals. The Clan territories AutumnClan (AC) : AutumnClan's territory lies in the south-east reaches of the valley and is easily distinguished by its red trees and greenery. The red trees are said to have been one of the factors in the naming of the Clan and are caused by a lime-deficiency in the soil and the trees being unable to produce enough chlorophyll to survive. This doesn't affect the cats in any shape or form, it just creates a unique section of their territory as further north, the trees are their usual green. : The dead stumps that cover a fifth of the territory are the result of volcanic activity from the mountain years prior. Grasses and some saplings have shot up, but no large trees have taken root yet, and most of the area is covered in burnt, branch-less trunks. : Towards the eastern border, is the Rushing Shores River, however, it is too far away from the end of the Clan's border for it to be a primary water source. Instead, they live in the comfort that the river is enough to keep the eastern border safe from invaders due to its size and extreme difficulty to cross. This river also feeds into the Claw River that lies further south in AutumnClan's territory which also borders WinterClan. : For water sources, small streams that come up due to snow melt in the late spring often come close enough for the elders to reach. These streams stay almost all year long unless a greenleaf is particularly warm. Most cats are able to access these close flowing streams, however, sometimes has to be carried in for nursing queens, kittens, and elders. : AutumnClan shares the western border with SpringClan, the northern with SummerClan, and the southern with WinterClan. Their border with SpringClan is marked by a slight change in greenery and the other Clan's distinctive blooming plants. The SummerClan border is marked by the thinning of AutumnClan's woods as it shifts into an open field, and the WinterClan border is generally marked by where the red trees end and where the Claw River begins as well. : AutumnClan's camp is central to their territory and its layout is as follows: * Several larger boulders form the base of the camp, of which the largest is used by the leader for announcements. The rest form cavities for the Clan's warriors and apprentices to make their nests in. These open dens allow the serving cats to act quickly in the event of a battle. * Overhead, the camp is protected by large branches of their red trees. These low-lying branches make excellent lookout positions for warriors to guard camp and for inquisitive apprentices to gaze out upon their territory. These branches when in full leaf protect the camp well from the wet and wind. * The nursery and elder's den are hidden from view and are shallow tunnels dug out underneath one of these large boulders. The dens are sheltered from the elements using leaf litter and brambles to hold the structure. * The medicine cat den and leader's den are a combined alcove in the largest boulder. The leader sleeps in a higher alcove so that they may reach the boulder's peak to address the Clan and so that sick or injured cats can easily access the medicine cat's den. To protect herbs and such from the elements, a similar structure of leaf litter and brambles are used to hide the den's entrance from view. SplashClan (SplC) : SplashClan's territory lies in the northwestern side of the valley and is easily disguised by its marshier ground. The marshland is cut into islands by the runoff from surrounding rivers such as the Sun-Down River, which is the largest river in their territory. That river also flows past their borders with SummerClan and SpringClan. : Smaller rivers feed into it, springing from the rest of their territory. Various streams pop up fairly randomly throughout the year, thanks to the sandy soil and hilly terrain of the area. Evergreen trees cover most of the area, with tall, ancient willows covering the riverbanks. : SplashClan's camp lies at the runoff of a smaller river in the southern area of their territory. Their camp layout is as follows: *The camp is right along the edge of one river, with soft, sandy banks that flows slowly. Smaller streams sprout off of it in the spring and early summer, which can criss-cross the camp depending on how much snow melted. Nests must be made of branches, so that they can float when the river floods, which happens fairly regularly. Some nests for able-bodied warriors are up in the willow trees, resting between forks in the branches. The ground is covered in a soft dirt and sand mixture, and small shells sometimes wash up on the bank of the river. Cats often adorn their dens or nests with the artifacts they find. In the spring small, pink flowers cover the ground, giving the camp a fresh, sweet scent. SpringClan (SprC) *The camp rests above the Sky River, known for its crystal-clear waters that perfectly reflect the sky. The Sky Oak can be seen from its shores. Shorter oak trees surround the camp, giving it plenty of shelter in the winter from snow. Most of the dens are made from bushes and old dens below the roots of the trees. Snail shells are in an abundance in the camp, and many cats will take them to decorate their dens. A large Magnolia tree is in the center of camp, and in the spring, the entire camp is covered in its petals. The ground has very few small, vine-like plants covering it, due to the large amount of shade masking the area. In mid-summer they provide soft, white blooms, which cover the entire forest floor. *The rest of the forest is covered in blooming plants, hence why the terrain earned its name. *The Sky Oak is rumored to have been planted when Rusty first came to the forest, but it was there even before he joined the early group. It towers over all other trees in the valley, and may even rival the ancient pines of WinterClan. Only a few cats have ever climbed to the top, but many have fallen and died while trying. SummerClan (SuC) *SummerClan's territory is made up of patches of leafy trees, surrounded by large, flat areas of grasses. The large lake along the SpringClan border is known as Moon-High lake, and is where Poole drowned, which caused the formation of the clans. SummerClan and SpringClan often fought over ownership of it, and currently, it is owned by SummerClan, and its cats may walk anywhere the water touches. *Its camp rests in the extended patch of trees, almost in the center of its territory. The short oaks protect the camp from harsh sunlight, while the slight incline in elevation guards it from the floods that come with Sun-Drown River. *The grasses that cover a majority of the fields are taller than the average cat, although the tallest cats may be able to see above it. Many snakes and mice take shelter in them, so cats must be wary when hunting. *The entrance to SummerClan camp is near a bunch of tall trees. In particular, there's a few tall cedars, and a large gap between two oaks that serves as the actual entrance. *There's a small highland area near the free land 'territory', where there's a small cave. Tesla died in this cave while he was staying there one night. *There's a particular spot with very short, flat grass surrounded by large trees. Harepaw and his friends have gone here a couple of times. There's a bunch of theories on why the grass tends to be lower around this area. To get there, one must leave SummerClan camp, evade a fallen tree, and go through a bunch of oaks and maples. The entire trek doesn't take long, as the clearing isn't far from the camp. It's often used as a training area. There's a few bushes, too. *Nearing the border with the Valley City is a trail lined with bushes that leads to another pair of oaks, that has a forking area; Chervilclaw led a certain group of apprentices here once as part of a tour. The path to the left is a large field with tall grasses. The path to the right is surrounded with tree, and there's a dip in the distance. The path in the middle is a forested area where reports of foxes aren't uncommon. WinterClan (WC) *The camp located closest to the border is the original camp, founded by the cats of Snow's time, and put back into use by Blackstar. Filled with brushes and other short grasses, it provides plenty of shelter throughout the year. Wildflowers fill it in spring, and not much rock face is exposed. Being very close to the borders of both SpringClan and AutumnClan, it is easy to access. Its use was discontinued by Guppystar. *The camp along the timberline of the mountain was founded by Crowstar, and was used throughout Maplestar's, Larkstar's, Snowstar's, and Reedstar's leaderships. Located at the base of a steep cliff, the ground is made primarily of snow, and only a tall pine growing in the center of camp provides shelter. The rest of the camp is clear of brush and undergrowth, but more pine trees begin to grow at the edges of camp. Resting at the top of the timberline, the steep slopes make it tremendously difficult for cats born outside of the clan to access, practically leaving it intangible. It was put back into use during the reign of Guppystar. *The small lake pooled at the center of the four rivers is known as Claw Lake, and is often frozen over in the Winter and Spring. *The timberline marks off the general area of where prey cease to roam. Most hunting takes place in the trees, as any place above timberline is tricky to maneuver. The tree-covered area of the territory is dominated by evergreen trees. Outside the Clans To the North The Valley City *A small city on the edge of the valley, primarily filled with residential homes. Many kittypets live in its limits. The further north you go into it, the taller and more industrialized its buildings get, until it tapers back down into suburbs. To the East The Rushing Shores River *The widest river on the map; Rushing Shores is about half a mile wide. It is far too wide for any cat to cross easily, so all newcomers to the area have to come from the North, West, or South. The first Clan cats to have left their territory to see it were Umbrastripe and Snailstorm, and so far are the only two to know of its location. Many fish inhabit it, and thanks to steep banks on either side, it seldom floods. The river branching off of it, curving around the mountain, is the Claw River, which feeds directly into the Claw Lake of WinterClan. The Port City : Category:Important Pages